Carriage and lift apparatus



Mam}! 1951 s. R. FEIST CARRIAGE AND LIFT APPARATUS Filed Dec. 3, 1947INVENTOR. ficrma'el R F226? ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 6, 1951 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE CARRIAGE AND LIFT APPARATUS Samuel R. Feist, Wichita,Kans. Application December 3, 1947, Serial No. 789,410

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates generally to a lifting apparatus designedprimarily for use in lifting and moving invalids or injured persons.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an apparatusof this character which is of relatively light construction and whichcan be easily moved from place to place either when loaded or unloadedand also is of such form that it may be run into aposition, with respectto a bed, whereby an ill or injured person can be placed directly on thebed or raised therefrom with a minimum of disturbance.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a carriage and liftapparatus of the character herein disclosed whereby an injured or illperson may be raised and lowered easily and smoothly without shocks orjars.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide anapparatus of the character stated wherein a supporting frame, formed intwo sections which are relatively movable, includes telescoping partswith a novel and improved anti-friction means between the telescopingparts which will permit the device to be raised and lowered smoothly andWithout binding or jamming.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of the specification, with the understanding,however, that the invention is not to be limited to the exact details ofconstruction shown and described since obvious modifications will occurto a person skilled in the art.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a View in perspective, with portions broken away, of a liftapparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a detail view partly in elevation and partly in section ofthe central part of the vertical frame of the apparatus.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 ofFigure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional detail through two bearing elementsand adjacent part of a standard of which they form a part.

Referring more particularly to the drawing wheels is which, as shown,are attached to the transverse rails 12 at the ends thereof.

At the side of the base structure It is the vertical frame I4 which isin the same vertical plane as the longitudinal side rail II. The uprightside frame l4, which is vertically extensible, includes as a partthereof the bottom l2 extending at right angles 2 rail II. From each ofthe two ends of the bottom rail ll extend the upright or verticalstandards I5 which are in two telescoping parts a and b.

The top ends of the standards l5 are con nected by the top horizontalrail l6 and this rail, as shown, is integral with the upper ends of thesections a of the standards while the sections b are integral with thebase rail II, the sections a being slidable into the upper ends of thesections b.

Extending downwardly and inwardly from the upper ends of the lowersections b of the standards are the bracing struts I! which are securedto the transverse rails I2 at a substantial distance inwardly from thelongitudinal side rail II.

In addition to the end standards 15 there is the central standard l8which comprises the telscopically joined upper and lower sections a. andb. The lower section b is secured rigidly to the longitudinal base railll centrally of its ends while the upper section a is joined to theunderside of the top rail IS in spaced relation therewith. The meanshere shown for joining the upper section a to the top rail comprises thetwo angle brackets H! which are welded between the rail I6 and thesection a but it will beobvious that other means may be employed forsecuring the parts in this relation.

In order that the vertical frame structure l4 may have a maximum ofstrength and rigidity there are provided the lower bracing struts 20which are connected between the lower end of the lower section b of thecenter standard and the upper ends of the lower sections 1) of theadjacent standards 15. Above the struts 20 are corresponding bracingstruts 2| which extend downwardly and inwardly from the upper ends ofthe sections a of the standards [5 to the lower part of the section a ofthe central standard to which they are firmly joined as illustrated.

At each end of the top rail is there is secured an end of an archedsupporting arm 22 which projects inwardly to lie above the central partof the base frame It. Rigidly secured to the inner end of each arm 22 isan arcuate yoke 23, the concave side of which is directed downwardly asshown. The arms 22 are attached to the top sides of the yokes 23substantially midway between the ends of the latter and it will be seenthat the rail it, the arms 22 and the suspending yokes 23 are all joinedtogether to form a rigid unit.

The depending free ends of each of the yokes 23 have secured thereacrossthe pivot pins 2t and each pivot pin has pivotally attached thereto ahanger hook 25.

The numeral 26 generally designates a carrier or stretcher whichcomprises the spaced side rails 21 between which is connected the fabricbody 28. At properly spaced points the fabric body is provided with theopenings 29 whereby the hooks 25 may be engaged around the stretcherrails 2'! thereby horizontally suspending the stretcher from the archedframes or yokes 23 in the manner shown.

Raising and lowering of the upper part of the vertical side frame [4,which upper part includes the horizontal top rail l6 and the parts a,(1', 2|, 22, and 23, is effected by means of the crank 30 which isconnected with the upper end of a lifting screw 3i which extendsdownwardly through the tubular portion a of the central standard l8 andis threadably engaged in a nut 32 secured to the upper end of the lowerportion 1) of the standard E8. The upper end of the screw 3| isconnected with a thrust bearing 33 which is held in a space 34 providedbetween the upper end of the portion a of a central standard l8 and theoverlying horizontal rail l6.

In order to effect movement of the end standard parts a with a minimumof friction in the lower parts I), rotatable anti-friction units aresupported within the offset receptacles 35 which form a part of thelower part or section b of each end standard. These receptacles 35 openinwardly toward the inserted upper part a of the standard and haverotatably supported therein the bearing units or elements 36 betweenwhich the standard part (1 moves. These bearings 36 are in opposedrelation and are disposed upon the inner and outer sides of the endstandards and two sets of such bearings are preferably provided.

In order to add stability to the arched frames or yokes each has rigidlyconnected between the end thereof Which is adjacent to the verticalframe and the horizontal rail 1 6, the short brace arm 31.

From the fore oing it is believed that it will be readily apparent thata lift apparatus constructed in accordance with the present inventionmay be easily and quickly placed in position with respect to a bed orother similar structure upon which a patient may be resting and loweredand/or raised smoothly and. easily for the purpose of moving a sick orinjured person. The construction and arrangement of the parts are suchthat after the patient has been raised the apparatus can be moved abouteasily without danger of tipping or upsetting.

By the provision of the hearings in the lower portions b of the endstandards, the upper portions a of such standards can be made to shiftwithout binding, regardless of the weight carried by the stretcher unit.

I claim:

1. A lift and carrier structure of the character described, comprising abase frame, a vertical frame supported upon the base frame at one sideof the latter, said vertical frame including sectional telescopingstandards and a connecting horizontal top rail, a pair of arched rigidarms rigidly secured to said horizontal rail and extending over the baseframe, an arched suspension yoke secured to each of said arms and havingdownwardly directed end portions, means for attaching an invalidsupporting unit to the depending arms of the said yokes, and meansconnected between a side of the base frame and the top rail of thevertical frame for effecting the raising and lowering of the horizontalrail of the base frame together with the arms and yokes.

2. A lift and carrier structure of the character described, comprising abase frame, a vertical side frame supported at one side of the baseframe, the side frame including sectional telescoping standards and ahorizontal top rail, said top rail being connected between two sectionsof two remote standards and a section of an intermediate standard, saidintermediate standard having its sections of hollow construction and onethereof being rigidly fixed to the bottom frame, a screw rotatablycarried by said horizontal rail and extending downwardly through the twosections of the intermediate standard, the lower section. of theintermediate standard having a nut fixed thereto through which saidscrew is threaded, means for rotating said screw, and a pair of supportsrigidly secured to the top part of the, vertical frame and extendinglaterally therefrom over the base frame, said supports being adapted forconnection witha stretcher.

3. A lift and carrier structure of the character described in claim 2,wherein each of said supporting units comprises a rigid arched armsecured at one end to said top rail and an arcuate yoke connectedintermediate its ends to the other end of the arm, the ends of thearched yokes being directed downwardly and a suspension hook pivotallyattached to each end of each arched yoke.

4. A lift and carrier structure of the character described comprising abase frame having a side rail and perpendicular end rails, a verticalframe supported on the base frame in a vertical plane of said side rail,said vertical frame comprising two end standards and a central standardand a horizontal top rail, each of said end standards including atubular lower section and an upper section slidably extended into thelower section, said top rail being connected with said upper sections,the central standard including a tubular lower section fixed to the siderail of the bottom frame and a tubular upper section fixed to said toprail and slidably receiving the upper end of the adjacent lower section,a thrust bearing carried upon the upper end of the upper section of thecentral standard, a nut carried upon the upper end of the lower sectionof the central standard, a relatively long screw extending downwardlythrough the horizontal rail and having threaded connection with saidnut, said screw being connected with the thrust bearing, means upon theupper end of the screw for turning the same, and hanger units rigidlysecured to the top rail and extending laterally therefrom over thebottom frame and adapted for connection with and for the support of astretcher unit.

5. A lift and carrier structure of the character stated in claim 4,wherein each of said suspension units comprises an arcuate arm rigidlyattached at one end to the said top rail of the side frame and an archedyoke rigidly joined intermediate its ends to the other end of the armwhereby the ends of the yoke are directed downwardly, and a suspensionhook pivotally attached to each end of each yoke.

SAMUEL R. FEIST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,051,530 Parmley Aug. 18, 19362,187,198 Fields Jan. 16, 1940 2,255,462 Cowles Sept. 9, 1941 2,418,606Smith Apr. 8, 1947 2,429,865 Bresch Oct. 28, 1947

